May 2009

Hello, and welcome to this little late edition edition of my Natural Alternatives Newsletter!

I hope you will enjoy reading this issue.

If you like this e-zine, please do a friend and me a favor and pay it forward!

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“The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well.” ~Hippocrates

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IN THIS ISSUE:

1) NATURAL OPTIONS FOR KILLING GERMS IN YOUR KITCHEN

2) REAL FLOWER POWER: STUDY SHOWS PLANTS SPEED HEALING

3) HEALING YOURSELF AND THE EARTH AT THE SAME TIME

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1) NATURAL OPTIONS FOR KILLING GERMS IN YOUR KITCHEN

Vinegar

The smell of the vinegar dissolves after it is dried. For a nice post-cleaning scent, add a little bit of organic peppermint extract or other essential oil extract to your vinegar and water solution. You might find some organic clove oil adds a nice spicy scent too.

White Distilled Vinegar can be used to effectively evict most bacteria and germs from their living quarters. That’s because vinegar is a weak form of acetic acid, the pH of which is too strong for most germs to survive.
Undiluted Vinegar can be used to clean counter tops, greasy ovens, dishwashers with soap residue, coffee pots, and cloudy glassware.
Diluted Vinegar is non toxic and can be used all around the home as an all purpose cleaner and deodorizer - just fill a spray bottle with 1 part vinegar to 1 part water (50/50) and you’re ready to go. Hydrogen Pyroxide

Hydrogen peroxide, the same stuff that you buy to disinfect cuts and scrapes, can also be used to disinfect your kitchen. Just fill a spray bottle and wipe down your kitchen surfaces with 3% hydrogen peroxide (the strength you can purchase at the drugstore) to kill germs. Another bonus: peroxide adds a streak free shine to reflective surfaces.

Tee Tree oil, Neem Oil & Orange Oil

Tee Tree oil, Neem, and Orange oil can all be used as safe, effective kitchen cleaners. These all natural products will keep your kitchen clean without leaving behind a chemical residue.

How to Make Your Own Natural Disinfectant:

Here are some quick and easy recipes to keep on hand when you’re ready to make the switch to a cleaner, healthier kitchen:

As an antibacterial and antifungal agent for food prep surfaces, mix 2 cups distilled water, 25 drops tea tree oil, 25 drops lavender in a 16 ounce spray bottle and use.
To clean and reduce bacterial buildup in the garbage disposal, place used lemon rinds and turn on 2-3 times a week.
Mix lemon juice with baking soda in a 1:2 ratio for an abrasive, deodorizing paste. If you have whole lemons, just cut one in half, rub the cut end in baking soda and use that as your scrubber.
For glass cleaner, use either undiluted white vinegar or undiluted 3% hydrogen peroxide to wipe down the glass. These will disinfect and leave a streak free shine. The vinegar also does an excellent job of cutting through grease left from cooking.
Wash all foods before cutting or cooking in a bowl of water with a capfull of hydrogen peroxide to kill germs.

~Dr. Edward Group

2) REAL FLOWER POWER: STUDY SHOWS PLANTS SPEED HEALING

By Elizabeth Walling

NaturalNews) Research now confirms what nature lovers have always known: plants have healing power. Even the simple presence of a potted plant can do wonders for speeding the recovery of surgery patients, says a study published in HortTechnology in October of 2008.

Seong-Hyun Park and Richard H. Mattson from the Department of Horticulture, Recreation and Forestry at Kansas State University examined the effects plants had on the recovery of 90 patients who had just undergone an appendectomy. Patients were randomly assigned to a recovery room with or without a plant. Details such as vital signs, anxiety, fatigue, length of hospitalization and the need for postoperative drugs were recorded.

The results showed patients in rooms with plants reported less pain, fatigue and anxiety. Heart rate and blood pressure were more favorable, and the use of pain medications was noticeably reduced in patients with plants in their rooms. These patients also showed a higher level of satisfaction with their stay, and reported the plants were the most pleasant aspect of their rooms. Interestingly enough, patients without plants in their rooms said the most positive quality of their rooms was the television.

This is great news for anyone looking to speed recovery time and lessen stress after surgery. After an operation, many patients turn to prescription drugs to help them through their recovery, but pharmaceutical medications are known for side effects like nausea, fatigue, vomiting and drug dependency. Some have even been linked to fatalities. It's in the best interests of both patients and practitioners to decrease the need for such strong medications. The presence of plants is an excellent alternative which is both noninvasive and inexpensive. It's natural healing at its finest.

The study suggests that potted plants are better than cut flowers since they last longer. They also invite patients in interact by way of watering, pruning and otherwise caring for the plant, as many patients in the study did as they recovered. Potted plants and flowers also offer the benefit of improving the environment around the patient by contributing to better air quality and humidity in the recovery room.

So, the next time you swing by the florist on the way to visit a loved one in the hospital, know you're doing more than just offering sympathy; you're also promoting the speed of their recovery while helping them feel more comfortable and less stressed during this time of need. And anyone should feel free to take these study results as a nudge to have more plants around, especially when you are ill or under a lot of stress.

Elizabeth Walling is a freelance writer, specializing in articles about health and family nutrition. She is a strong believer in natural living as a way to improve health and prevent common illnesses.

Source: NaturalNews

3) HEALING YOURSELF AND THE EARTH AT THE SAME TIME
By Diane Koerner

What is good for our bodies is ultimately good for the whole -- our island and our planet.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that we're all contaminated by a stew of pesticides, solvents, plastics and metals. There are many ways a person can limit their exposure to toxins and protect the earth at the same time.... Eating organic, locally-grown food will reduce your exposure to pesticides and provide you with more nutrients in your fruits and vegetables (50 to 60 percent more antioxidants, according to several research studies).

While you're saving your body from having to detox from toxic pesticides and unhealthy additives in your food, you'll also be eliminating the fuel spent on transporting fruits and vegetables and the waste of extra packaging. You'll be supporting sustainable agriculture on the island and closing your wallet to corporate growers who poison the groundwater, wildlife and everyone downwind of pesticide spraying.

What you put on your body is as important as what you put in it, so opt for natural, fragrance-free personal care products. Ninety-five percent of the chemicals used to make products "fragrant" are derived from scarce petroleum and are neurotoxins and endocrine disrupters. Fewer synthetic chemicals in your products equals fewer synthetic chemicals that can end up in our ecosystems.

For example, a natural mineral sunscreen with a reflective barrier like zinc, in a non-petroleum base, is better for your skin and our coral reefs. The Centers for Disease Control reported last year that 97 percent of Americans are contaminated with oxybenzone, a widely-used sunscreen chemical linked to allergies, hormone disruption, and cell damage that might actually increase the signs of aging. Even trace levels of sunscreen chemicals cause coral reef damage, according to findings from a study ordered by the European Commission.

The use of chemicals to clean your home or workplace can be a source of indoor air pollution that is worse than any we experience outside. The commercial cleaners under the sink often contain concoctions of chemicals, many of which are toxic to our bodies and to the environment after they've gone down the drain. Almost all of them have added synthetic fragrances or chlorine (which forms dangerous compounds that store in fat cells and breast tissue).

For instance, your dish and laundry cleaners are often detergents, not soaps, and are derived from petroleum, are non-biodegradable, and contain phosphates that pollute our groundwater and ocean. A safer choice are those non-toxic cleaning standbys of your grandmother -- vinegar, baking soda, Borax and Bon Ami, or the latest chemical-free alternatives, like Seventh Generation brand, found at health food stores as well as at KTA supermarkets.

When doing your laundry, be aware that dryer sheets contain chloroform, camphor, ethylacetate and other hazardous ingredients. Instead, add a little baking soda to your wash water to soften and deodorize your clothes.

Want a fresher-smelling bathroom, kitchen or car? Commercial air "fresheners" actually add to indoor air pollution, coating nasal passages with nerve-deadening agents and impairing our sense of smell. It makes more sense to open a window or put on the fan, put out tropical flowers with a natural scent or a bowl of baking soda or vinegar to absorb nasty smells.

If you're remodeling at home or work, avoid the fumes of volatile organic chemicals (VOC's), as they are toxic and flammable and can harm marine life if they get into the ocean. Luckily, many Big Island stores now carry low-VOC paint and other remodeling materials that will cause fewer headaches, dizzy spells and respiratory problems for your family or business associates and fewer chemicals that damage the environment.

Our own health and our earth's health are connected -- so why not celebrate Earth Day by starting health-restoring practices for all.

For more info:

1. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Third National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals, 2005.

2. Archives of Environmental Health, "Acute Toxic Effects of Fragrance Products," 1998, 53(2):138-146.

3. Environmental Working Group: Americans Carry "Body Burden" of Toxic Sunscreen Chemical, (http://www.ewg.org).

Source: Bigislandweekly.com

PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE!

Thank you for reading.

Livia P.
www.natural-health-and-healing.com
Brampton, Ontario, Canada

P.S. If you have a comment or suggestion, just reply to this e-mail. Your feedback is important to me.

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This newsletter is for educational purposes only. It is your right to educate yourself in health and medical knowledge, to seek helpful information and make use of it for your own benefit, and for that of your family. You are the one responsible for your health. You must educate yourself in order to make decisions in all health matters. My views and advices are not intended to be a substitute for conventional medicine, but simply a help you to make educated changes in order to help your body heal itself. If you have a medical condition or concern you should consult your physician.